Where does Nolan Smith land in a PFF ranking of the NFL's top 32 edge rushers?
Where does Nolan Smith land in a PFF ranking of the NFL's top 32 edge rushers? first two seasons, Eagles' linebacker Nolan Smith landed at No. 28 in a PFF ranking of the top 32 edge rushers in the NFL
While Jalen Carter has been a star since Day 1, Nolan Smith has quietly and intensely built himself into one of the top young edge rushers in the NFL. As a rookie, Smith recorded 18 tackles and 1.0 sacks in 17 regular-season games.
Playing behind Haason Reddick and Brandon Graham, the former Georgia star linebacker didn't play more than eight defensive snaps in a game until Week 12. Smith's coming-out party came during the Eagles' Super Bowl run, when the confident former Georgia star made plays in every game, including the Super Bowl 59 win.
PFF recently revealed their top 32 edge rushers for 2025, and Smith made the list, landing at No. 28.
Smith served as a backup on a loaded Eagles defense during his rookie season in 2023, logging just 203 snaps. In Year 2, he became an every-down contributor for the Super Bowl champions, playing 755 snaps over the entire campaign.
Smith graded better against the run (74.0) than as a pass-rusher (68.3) but still managed to generate 50 pressures. With Josh Sweat departing for the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, Smith will face increased pressure to lead the Eagles' edge unit moving forward.
Smith was the Eagles' best pass rusher down the stretch, and he likely gained more respect from his teammates after playing through a torn Triceps. Smith had four tackles and two sacks in the wild-card round win over Green Bay. Smith, who finished 2nd on the defense with a career-high 6.5 sacks in the regular season, had the most pressures (13) among NFL players in the playoffs last year. Smith's 4.5 sacks last postseason are the most ever recorded by an Eagle during a single playoff run.
In the Super Bowl win, an injured Smith had two quarterback hits.
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